The Complete Guide to English Spelling Rules (7 page)

When the letter
y
is in a closed syllable it should have the short
i
sound. When it is in an open syllable, it should have the long
e
or long
i
sound.

When the
r
follows the vowel, it creates a unique sound which is very rarely a short vowel sound. This sometimes occurs with the letters
w
and
l
.

Spelling rule #1: Closed syllables consist of a vowel followed by a consonant.

Vowel diphthongs are almost always long vowels and are often in closed syllables, especially in single syllable words.

Spelling rule #2: An open syllable occurs when the vowel is not followed by a consonant.
In most cases the vowel will then be long.

Note that the letter
i
in an open syllable will usually have the long
e
sound.

Note that there are some unusual cases where a vowel diphthong produces a short vowel sound.

Note also that there are a few unusual cases where a closed syllable containing only one vowel does not produce a short vowel sound.

The importance of correct syllabification
(syl/lab/if/ic/a/tion)
cannot be overemphasized. It is not only an important aide to correct spelling, but it also offers clues to the correct pronunciation. Invariably, poor spelling and poor pronunciation go together. Compare the following:

Spelling rule #2: An open syllable occurs when the vowel is not followed by a consonant.

A
CCENTS

There are no hard and fast rules covering the placement of the accent. It depends a great deal on the origin of the word, its meaning, and whether it is a verb or a noun. With two-syllable words that are identical (homographs and heteronyms), the accent is placed on the first syllable if it is a noun, whereas the accent is on the second syllable when it is a verb.